Amos Gill: taking the proverbial piss out of (all) the people

By creammagazine, May 13, 2021

No one is innocent or safe from the comical critique of Amos Gill. The Adelaide-bred comedian has his finger on the pulse, eyes on the net and ear to the ground – all rich sources to pull from in creating his no-holds-barred one-man show that questions the authenticity of just about person in the audience.

Gill’s sardonic wit and hilarious observations will leave you in stitches, but they’ll also have you wondering whether you’re part cause of the current crap state of the world or if you’ll ever be able to solve any of the shit.

Baby boomers, Gen-Ys, Gen-Xs, Gen-Zs – we’re all to blame for the twisted state of global affairs, and Amos reminds us that while we’re busy cancelling sexist / racist / homophobic culture and watching what we say online (in the name of over-the-top political correctness), a lot of it is hot air that only adds steam to the chaos.

Gill has a talent for bringing up relatable, albeit sensitive, content and turning it into something altogether hilarious. But rather than leave audiences feeling guilty for contributing to the mess, he leaves us laughing – which is motivation enough to want to actually go out and be a better human. I think.

There are two puns at play in the show’s title, The Sheeple’s Champion. Amos is a champion for the people, empathic to our modern dilemmas and dramas because he experiences them too, but also a critic of the masses – in particular to that way in which we band together like sheep when it comes to saving public face, be it in online forums, Facebook post, or pathetically contrived Instagram feeds.

‘The people’ sentiment aside, Gill sprays his vitriol on just about anyone and everyone. While a decent contingency of the show is is fueled by Covid-19 themes, there are also huge digs at communists and capitalists alike, bogans and influencers in equal measure, and just anything that’s become a modern ‘ism’.

Not one to take sides, the comedian instead swings arguments to suit himself while cleverly challenging popular opinion. Then, just when you think it’s safe to be a ‘sheep’ and agree with him, his joke is turned around to make you think again. And then again.

Gill really is like the Eminem of comedy, saying what a lot of us are thinking but are just too afraid to say in case we lose popularity votes. Heck, the guy even criticises the current popular practice of opening arts events with a Welcome To Country while his own online blurb references respect to First Nations people and minutes after his own show has been opened with said Welcome.

Hypocritical? Nup. Having fun with dissonance and disillusionment if only to cope with all the crap? You betcha!

Antonino Tati

‘Amos Gill: The Sheeples Champion’ was part of the Perth Comedy Festival 2021. We’ll notify you when the guy has more shows in your city because he’s too funny not to catch live!

For more info on what’s on at The Perth Comedy Festival, click here.